This is not the first time the three countries have conducted similar cooperative drills. In 2019, the Chinese Navy and its Russian and Iranian counterparts held a four-day military exercise in the Gulf of Oman to strengthen cooperation between the three militaries.

“The Pacific Fleet’s naval group made up of the Guards Order of Nakhimov missile cruiser Varyag, the large anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Tributs and the large sea tanker Boris Butoma has anchored in the roadstead of the Chabahar port in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the port, the Russian Navy’s official delegation will take part in a planning conference on holding joint naval drills of combat ships of Russia, Iran and China,” the Russian Pacific Fleet’s press office reported.

China, Russia, and Iran must secure international maritime safety. The majority of Russia’s international trade is transported by ship. Iran’s oil exports are likewise reliant on ships.

When reporting on the three nations’ joint practice in 2019, the US media reported it was performed by “three of America’s strongest foes.” Others argued that the drill meant Beijing enlisted Tehran and Moscow to establish a trio of “autocracies” to “rally against democracy.”